Fears of influx of immigrants to UK after Romanian president says he can't guarantee his border security

Warning: Romanian President Traian Basescu, pictured in 2004, has threatened to suspend spending on border security if the country is not allowed into the Schengen zone

Fears have been raised over an influx of Romanians into the UK after the country's president said he could not guarantee its external border to the EU from illegal immigrants.

Traian Basescu said that any delay in allowing Romania to join the Schengen agreement would see 271million euros in spending designed to tighten up border security frozen in protest.

He claimed Romania had met all the technical requirements to join the agreement, which allows for EU citizens to travel across the Schengen zone without a passport.

Mr Basescu said: 'A delay is discrimination against Romania. Should we sit here like spineless worms as as some seem to suggest, or should we fight for the rights of the 22million Romanians who have the right to respect?

'Romanians have the right to be in the Schengen zone.

'The problem is not delaying access to the Schengen zone by several months. The problem is the act of the delay itself and the abuse it represents.

'Either we are equal partners, or not. Today it happens to Romania and Bulgaria, tomorrow it could happen to any other state.'

He dismissed complaints that Romania had given citizenship to Moldovans.

The country granted 5,585 citizenships in 2008, while France gave 137,320, The Netherlands 28,000 and Austria 10,268, according to Eurostat.

Romania has set aside 271million euros for EADS security technology to secure its borders this year, but has threatened to suspend the money if there is no fixed term when the country can enter the Schengen zone.

Insult: Polish students cut through a security fence as Poland was allowed entry into Schengen in 2007. Mr Basescu said Romanian and Bulgaria were being 'abused' by not being included

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Fears of influx of immigrants to UK after Romanian president threatens to freeze border security improvements